Born on 12 November 1949 in Taipei, Taiwan,[2] Shen was a sixth generation descendant of famous Qing dynasty official Shen Baozhen,[3] and had other relatives who served in Taiwanese diplomatic posts in several countries, including Brazil, Japan, Iran, Niger and Rwanda.[4] He obtained his bachelor's degree in law from National Chung Hsing University in 1972.[5] He then continued his study in international relations at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, where he obtained his master's degree in 1979 and doctoral degree in international relations in 1981.[6]
Early diplomatic career
After his PhD, Shen stayed in the U.S., serving as a staff consultant at the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA) from 1982 to 1988. In 1988, he began working in the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), where he worked in the Department of North American Affairs until 1990.[5] Subsequently, Shen returned to the U.S., where he became Director General at the CCNAA in Kansas City from 1991 through 1993, followed by serving as the Divisional Director, Secretariat & Public Affairs at Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States from 1993 to 1996.[5] He then returned to Taiwan, where he became Director General in the Department of North American Affairs at MOFA from 1996 to 1999.[5]
Shen was subsequently Representative at the Taipei Representative Office in the United Kingdom from December 2011 until 2014, where he worked to expand investment in developing nations, bilateral economic agreements, and promoting Taiwan Academy language and cultural initiatives in the UK.[4][10]
On 1 January 2015, the flag of the Republic of China was raised at Twin Oaks in Washington, D.C. reportedly for the first time since the end of diplomatic relations in 1979.[14] Shen attended the ceremony,[15] and later stated that the United States was not told in advance that it would occur.[16] The People's Republic of China lodged a protest with the United States over the incident, but Shen defended the flag-raising as having occurred due to "precedent," as the flag was raised during Double Ten Day celebrations in 2014.[17] It was later reported that American government officials asked President Ma Ying-jeou to replace Shen.[18] Shen submitted his resignation to Ma on 15 April 2016, but it was not approved until 26 May, after Tsai Ing-wen had taken office.[19]
Shen died in New Taipei, Taiwan, on 6 January 2023, at age 73.[20]
